Justin Sheedy's Blog - Posts Tagged "lisa-heidke"

Last week I attended the Gloucester Writers’ Festival 2012 as a Guest Writer and I’m relieved to say that it went really, really well for me. I met some truly excellent writers – I swear, did me heart good: really nice people, great to talk to and full of good advice and support.

Standouts for me included: Author Lisa Heidke, a lovely person & genuine life-of-the-party. Aleesah Darlison (who had to get her pen out of her purse 5 times to write down leads for me re further speaking engagements on my book, a publishing lead re ABC Books plus similar). Festival key-note speaker Susanne Gervay OAM who really took me under her kind & supportive wing from the very first. Authors Michael Pryor and Stephen Measday were also just great to be with: Highly successful, excellent to talk with and both just very nice blokes.



My talk on my book, Nor the Years Condemn, was really well received, all the copies of the book SOLD, and I won 1st Prize in a competition at the end of the festival – Pitching your Book to Publishers. No new publishing deal from that as yet but we will See.

The weekend ended for me with a nice bloke from the ABC enthusing to me that my book should be a TV series, that he’s in personal contact with authors Peter Fitzsimons and Paul Hamm, and that he’ll be in touch. From my experience, one never knows what might eventuate from interactions like that, but, again, we will See.

I had a truly brilliant time signing copies of the book for people over the course of the weekend, talking to them about the true Australian history on which Nor the Years Condemn is based: So many people had family connections with it (grandfather a Spitfire pilot, great uncle in World War 2, a schoolkid massively into Australian history, things like that.) This was one of the best experiences for me of the festival – these really warm & enthusiastic conversations with tons of people re the stunning untold Australian Story which was my inspiration to write this book. (!)

Nor the Years Condemn is available as a Print-on-Demand Paperback at AMAZON with great reviews, also as an ebook at SMASHWORDS in all ebook formats plus at all major ebook websites. Click here for REVIEWS of Nor the Years Condemn.

My massive thanks to Lindy Dupree, Director of the Gloucester Writers’ Festival, for inviting me to this excellent event, also to all at the Festival, and to the authors and festival-goers whom it was my privilege to meet. — Justin Sheedy, May 2012.

SEE PICS OF FESTIVAL HERE: http://crackernight.com/2012/05/13/ju...

Lisa Heidke, acclaimed Australian Author of 'Lucy Springer Gets Even', 'What Kate did Next', 'Claudia’s Big Break', and 'Stella Makes Good' has just done a really excellent thing to help me, a NEW Australian author.

We met at this last May’s Gloucester Writers’ Festival, and what a lovely moment that was (no wonder; Lisa is a living gem). She has just interviewed me re my latest book, 'Nor the Years Condemn', re its appeal to Women… Lisa’s literary blog post below…


WELCOME, JUSTIN SHEEDY!
(Posted on July 22, 2012 by Author Lisa Heidke on her Literary Blog.)

Sydney author, Justin Sheedy, and I met in May at the Gloucester Writers’ Festival and hit it off immediately. I particularly like his wicked sense of humour and am thrilled that Justin has taken time out to chat about his latest novel, 'Nor the Years Condemn' .

Lisa: Thanks for popping by, Justin. Tell us about the writing of 'Nor the Years Condemn'.

Justin: Writing is a world of creativity, hard work and fear. When I was writing 'Nor the Years Condemn' I feared, given its subject matter, that it might be considered a “boys’ book”…

It’s an historical fiction based on the true story of the young Australians who flew Spitfires against Nazi Germany in World War II. So it’s to my huge relief that this story of shining young men has proven a story with profound appeal for female readers. And the young men on whom my story is based really were the “shining ones”; to fly the iconic Spitfire they could be nothing less. And what do you get when you write about how the “best & brightest” of a generation ironically picked one of the fastest ways to die of the War? You get a heart-rending read.



My story’s main character is 20-year-old Sydney law student and rugby star, Daniel Quinn. Flanked by the often hilarious young men of his elite ilk, he leaves his peacetime life behind to fight tyranny in my portrait of doomed, brilliant youth. I’m passionate to tell their story as it’s Our story – a story in our great Anzac tradition though which remains untold and which is so exciting, so tragic, in a word so dramatic as to defy belief. Yet it’s true.

Lisa: When you were writing 'Nor the Years Condemn', what was your inspiration? Your hope for the story?

Justin: My hope with 'Nor the Years Condemn' is to bring to life this stunning chapter of our history by putting readers “in-the-cockpit” with white-knuckle flying sequences based on the things that young Australians actually DID. But more than that. 'Nor the Years Condemn' is equally a portrait of the mothers cursed to relinquish their wonderful sons to war, of first love, of strategic deception and betrayal, of brotherhood and once-in-a-lifetime friendship on a knife’s edge. As per the title, it’s a story of shining young men destined never to become old, and of those who do: the survivors ‘condemned by the years’, and to their memory of friends who remain forever young.

Lisa: Kathy Mexted, Australian pilot, media presenter, journalist and mother, recently reviewed 'Nor the Years Condemn'. As she began to read it, her own son had just applied for the modern-day Royal Australian Air Force. Kathy writes…

“I scrolled through the first couple of chapters and dissolved into tears when I got to the part about the recently graduated RAAF pilot arriving home for Christmas and greeting his mother. ‘…and in that instant she knew she had lost her Danny.’”

Lisa: Getting anyone to cry, especially a reviewer, is a huge endorsement.

Justin: I’m delighted that Kathy enjoyed what she calls my story’s “strong female characters”, particularly Daniel Quinn’s mother, a figure I was adamant to include as for every shining young man who flew a Spitfire there was a mother who had to let him go.

I also feature Daniel’s (first) girlfriends, both dominant characters within the story in ways that expose the underlying nature of war itself and its true “pawns”. The sexual aspects of the story also serve to highlight the extreme young age of its key characters, many of whom must go to war, tragically, without ever losing their virginity. Indeed, I intend the story’s sexual angles to highlight what its young characters SHOULD have been doing instead of going to war. (Those with a penchant for a degree of raunch should appreciate my based-on-fact portrait of “life’s-too-short” wartime England.) Though one of my personal favourite characters within the story is Virginie Piquot, a French girl in her early teens whose character serves to portray the nature of injustice, resistance against it, and the plight of the innocent victims of war.

Lisa: There really is something for everyone in your novel.

Justin: I hope so. 'Nor the Years Condemn' is a story of the magic of flight and, in addition to Kathy Mexted’s quite emotional response to it, she calls it “informative, entertaining and fast”, describing it as “moving along like a film”. Her verdict? “What a ripper!”



Lisa: And reader reviews have been positive too, again, not just from male readers but women too?

Justin: Yes, I had one from Rochelle Lancaster, Melbourne, who wrote: “Not only for the boys, everyone will take something away from this. Could definitely see this made into a miniseries or movie… very hard to put down.”

Lisa: Though 'Nor the Years Condemn' is an ‘Australian story’, it has also been well-received by international readers too… Some of the reviews…

Celia Byrnes from Iowa, USA, calls it “A gripping story of war, love, loss and survival.”

Denise Boneham from the UK writes: “I laughed and cried” and pleads for the Sequel.

Lisa: Is there a sequel in the works?

Justin: Yes, I am currently working on it!

Lisa: Great to hear. We’ll let Stephanie Speakman of Cape Cod, USA, have the last words: “A war story, a love story and, above all, an historically correct, beautifully crafted novel. The darkest days of 1943 are resurrected by the memorable characters as the plot moves from Sydney to London and the skies above. Five stars!”

Justin: All I can say is THANKS, girls. Especially to Lisa Heidke. Who is fabulous.

Lisa: Thanks Justin!

Nor the Years Condemn is now available at Dymocks, George St, Sydney, also as a print-on-demand paperback at Amazon and in all ebook formats at Smashwords. See all reviews mentioned plus many more at Amazon and at Justin’s blog, Crackernight.com...
http://crackernight.com/2012/07/22/su...
Lisa Heidke's blog...
http://blog.lisaheidke.com/?p=154

I am delighted and privileged to have been invited by Dymocks Chatswood to an in-store event for my book, “Nor the Years Condemn” , this Saturday 8th September. I will be at the store, located in Westfield Shopping Centre Chatswood, from 9am and look forward hugely to meeting and chatting with Dymocks customers about my book.

http://crackernight.com/2012/09/03/au...

I am amazed by the support I’ve been receiving (as a still “struggling” Australian author) from this truly Iconic Australian bookstore chain. The lovely momentum started in May after my successful appearance as a guest writer at the Gloucester Writers’ Festival 2012 when the Dymocks flagship store in George Street Sydney agreed to stock “Nor the Years Condemn” , massive thanks to Dymocks George Street book-buyer, Ben Garland, who has just placed his 4th order for the book. Official Dymocks link HERE...
http://www.dymocks.com.au/ProductDeta...

Then in August Dymocks North Sydney manager Sandra Wigzell invited me to spend a day with them at an in-store event where, to my relief and delight, the book sold like Hotcakes. I am blissed that Dymocks North Sydney will be having me back for a similar event in the lead-up to Christmas.

My book is available at Dymocks Chatswood as of this very week due to book-buyer Petra Grotjahn’s amazing support and belief in my writing – Petra had read and enjoyed my first book, “Goodbye Crackernight” . Also as of this week, Dymocks Macquarie Centre have signed copies of the book on their shelves, an in-store event there too in the coming weeks.

At this time I must surely express my thanks to 2 lovely ladies for their brilliant promotional efforts re “Nor the Years Condemn” – Collette McGrath here in Australia and Denise Boneham in the UK. AND to the fabulous Lisa Heidke (major Australian Author) whom I met at the Gloucester Writers’ Festival and who interviewed me recently re “Nor the Years Condemn” . SEE Lisa's interview with me HERE...
http://crackernight.com/2012/07/22/su...

My eminent thanks also to the following Reader-Reviewers of the book, all of whom are mentioned in the Special Acknowledgements page of the book, both in hard-copy and online editions: Michael High from Colorado Springs USA, Martin Zitek and Rochelle Lancaster from here in Australia, Celia Byrnes from the UK, Denise Boneham for her reviews, Stephanie Speakman from Cape Cod USA, Nathan Dickey from Waco Texas, Andrew Landström from Sweden, Tim Bean and Stephen Horsman from here in Australia, Paddy O’Connor from the UK, Logan Meddler Dehn from Indiana USA, Justin Osborne from Georgia USA and James McDonald from here in Australia. SEE THEIR REVIEWS HERE.
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Huge thanks also to Sheryll Thomas, Hélèn Jourdan, Emma Hitchins and Raymundo Jiminez Enriquez for their invaluable online support of “Nor the Years Condemn” . Also to Portia Lindsay of the New South Wales Writers’ Centre for her belief in my work and for requesting my article for the NSW Writers’ Centre Newsletter re the struggle of the Emerging Writer, which Portia entitled “THE POWER OF PERSEVERANCE”. FULL ARTICLE HERE...
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Even with such lovely gains and ongoing in-store events (may there be many more), I’m still very much a “struggling” Australian author. My book “Nor the Years Condemn” has received the sort of responses – from those who truly count (READERS) – that I used to write in my head when the book and any success surrounding it was just a Dream. Yet the book is STILL not with a Major Australian Publisher, so relies solely on my own efforts to ‘get it Out There’. Which it seems to be doing. (!) So I cannot sufficiently express my thanks to all those mentioned above whose help in this task has been (and continues to be) PURE GOLD.

I look forward mightily to this Saturday’s in-store event at DYMOCKS Chatswood. — Justin Sheedy, September 2012.

Sydney author Justin Sheedy was delighted to close a highly successful 2012 with yet another sell-out book-signing in a series of such sell-out events throughout the year for his latest book ‘Nor the Years Condemn’.

On Sat 22nd December Sheedy began his day at Dymocks Broadway in central Sydney at 10am, signing copies of his book for store customers, sharing with them his passion for the great Australian story on which ‘Nor the Years Condemn’ is based. Sales of the book were so lively that all copies of the book sold out by mid-day, requiring Sheedy to race away and return with all available boxes of the book. Which then sold out. Sheedy was informed by store staff at the end of the day that he had in fact smashed all existing records for in-store event sales, a delightful end-note to a very happy day and writing year.

Sheedy had only just spent the day previous, Fri 21st December, at a similar in-store event at Dymocks North Sydney, a day beginning at 8am with a local film producer on the spot to speak with the author about a possible docu-drama based on ‘Nor the Years Condemn’. During the day Sheedy was delighted to meet and chat with Caroline Lowry, manager of Dymocks Books brand-new publishing arm, D-Publishing, who was on hand to witness Sheedy’s in-store event style in action. At the end of the day Sheedy expressed his sincere thanks to Dymocks North Sydney owner Sandra Wigzell and her exceptional staff for inviting him to this return visit to the store following on from a Fathers’ Day lead-up book-signing in August.

It has indeed been a successful year for Sheedy. ‘Nor the Years Condemn’, his second book, was published in January and promptly saw him invited to the Gloucester Writers’ Festival 2012 (resulting in a lovely interview of Sheedy by prolific Australian author Lisa Heidke). In May, ‘Nor the Years Condemn’ was stocked by Dymocks George Street Sydney who, thanks to the inspired insight of Dymocks book-buyer Ben Garland, have since re-ordered the title no less than 7 times. In the months to follow Sheedy was invited to a series of promotional civic & school talks and in-store events beginning with Dymocks North Sydney and Chatswood.

The pace of success then went up a notch for the author with his interview on the iconic John Laws Show which led to the first of Sheedy’s sell-out book-signings at Dymocks George Street Sydney – a special Remembrance Day weekend event including bagpiper and ‘The Last Post’ on trumpet – FULL STORY & PICS by Emmy Etié HERE.
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This day was closely followed by another sell-out event at Dymocks Macquarie Centre, the author’s day there concluding with a centre customer stopping to inform him that he had signed her copy of the book recently at Dymocks George Street and that she had ‘absolutely loved it from start to finish’.

During the year Sheedy has received the warmest reader responses and press reviews for ‘Nor the Years Condemn’, opening with a feature in the Byron Bay area Northern Star newspaper, then in Sydney’s Inner West Courier, Central Magazine, Parramatta Sun PS Magazine, Anzac Day issues of Sydney’s Northern District Times and North Shore Times, podcasts and radio interviews on Triple-H FM and NSB FM, also RRR FM and 2CCR FM, a heart-felt review by media presenter/pilot & mother Kathy Mexted in Australian Pilot Magazine, the year closing with the Northern District Times’ second glowing review of the book. During the year Sheedy was additionally delighted to be commissioned by the prestigious New South Wales Writers’ Centre to pen an article on his experience as an emerging Australian writer for the NSWWC Members’ online magazine. Most fittingly did the Centre entitle Sheedy’s resulting effort ‘The Power of Perseverance’, an article which was hugely well received by his fellow authors. Click the link to read...
http://crackernight.com/2012/04/21/th...

Readers of ‘Nor the Years Condemn’ are, as you read this, begging Sheedy for the sequel, which he is half-way through writing: ‘Ghosts of the Empire’ will be published in 2013 – but only after the author can absorb the overwhelming amount of historical and technical advice and support he is currently being showered with by kind souls from all over the globe. Sheedy would like to express his profound gratitude to ALL who have encouraged and supported him in 2012. See below for an introduction to ‘Nor the Years Condemn’ – now available at Dymocks George Street, Dymocks Macquarie Centre and North Sydney, Chatswood, Broadway, Bondi Junction, Rouse Hill and Camberwell stores, also Berkelouw Books Paddington, The Australian War Memorial, as a print-on-demand paperback at Amazon, as an ebook at Smashwords and all major ebook sites. The book is also available at Epping Library, Hornsby Library and The Stanton Library North Sydney to whose staff Sheedy is eternally grateful for their ongoing support. (Sheedy’s first book was ‘Goodbye Crackernight’, also available at Amazon, Dymocks, and through all good bookstores.)
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